| “Desolation Row” | |
|
from the album Watchmen: Music from the Motion Picture | |
| Released: | January 26, 2009 |
|---|---|
| Recorded: | 2008 |
| Length: | 3:01 |
| Format: | 12" Vinyl
Digital download |
| Label: | Reprise Records
Warner Sunset Records |
| Writer(s) | Bob Dylan |
| Producer(s): | My Chemical Romance (add. production by Rich Costey) |
My Chemical Romance performed a cover of "Desolation Row", for the 2009 soundtrack of Watchmen. The song peaked at #20 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks in March, 2009. The first chapter of Watchmen ("At Midnight All the Agents") takes its name from a line in the song. This line is also quoted at the end of the chapter.
Charts
| Chart (2009) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| UK Rock Chart | 1 |
| Australia ARIA Singles Chart | 65 |
Background[]
This is the first and only song the band has ever recorded for a film. Gerard Way, said that "when the chance came to do a cover of one of my favorite artists, Bob Dylan, for a film version of my favorite work of fiction of all time we had to jump at the chance."[1]
During a phone call with Zack Snyder, Gerard Way mentioned that the approach to the song should be to take a cue from Jim Carrolls' song "People Who Died". Snyder originally wanted the band to make a full lenght cover, but to the nature of the genre in which it was to be covered, it had to be shortened, Gerard mentions "There was simply no way I felt you could make it feel like a trashy punk song and play it for ten minutes...I think it's impossible to keep that kind of energy up without either burning out or boring yourself"[1].
The first rough arrangement of the song clocked in at around 2:40, and it kept the lyrics that were better represented by Alan Moore in the comic, according to Gerard. Tracking was initially done in Nashville, and later the band "asked our friend Rich Costey to help us finish the track and get some new sounds, which he did, in NYC at Electric Ladyland, with the addition of some sweet old Marshall Plexi's, to get a kind of Sex Pistols tone, and we had a blast."[1]
The song was also the last to feature former drummer Bob Bryar , who left the band a little over a year after the song was released.
Music Video[]
The music video for My Chemical Romance's version was directed by Zack Snyder (who also directed the Watchmen film and, as a result, features similar effects to that of the film). It features the band playing. After the show becomes sold out, and dozens of fans can't get in, a riot ensues as the band plays on. Eventually the police arrive but, are too powerless to stop riots both inside the show and out. Eventually a swat team arrives, arrests the band, and disperses the rioters.
During MCR's parts in the video multiple Watchmen imagery (such as Rorschach's mask and The Comedian's smiley face button) are shown.
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
They're selling postcards of the hanging
Well, they're painting the passports brown
And the beauty parlor's filled with sailors
The circus is in town
Oh, now look, here comes the blind commissioner
Well, they got him in a trance
One hand is tied to the tight-rope walker
The other's in his pants
[Chorus]
And the riot squad they're restless
They need somewhere to go
As Lady and I look out tonight
From Desolation Row
[Verse 2]
Cinderella, she seems so easy
"Well, it takes one to know one," she smiles
And she puts her hands in her back pockets
Oh, Bette Davis style
And now here comes Romeo, moaning
"You belong to me, I believe"
And if someone says, "You're in the wrong place, my friend"
You better leave
[Chorus]
And then the only sound that's left
After the ambulances go
Is Cinderella sweeping up
On Desolation Row
[Verse 3]
Now at midnight, all the agents
And superhuman crew
Go out and round up everyone
That knows more than they do (Knows more than they do)
They're going to bring them to the factory
Where the heart-attack machine
Is strapped across their shoulders
And then the kerosene
[Chorus]
Is brought down from the castles
By insurance men who go
Check to see that no one is escaping
To Desolation Row
[Outro]
Because right now, I can't read too good
Don't send me no letters, no
Not unless you're going to mail them
From Desolation Row
Trivia[]
- [Watchmen] Fan(s) reaction to MCR’s cover song appears to be fairly negative. A very un-official poll conducted on this Web site's forum had 39% of the fans who voted saying that they “hated it,” and 43% saying the track was “ehhh.” Only 16% of the fans who voted said that thye “loved it.”[2]
External Links[]
Watch Official Video [YouTube]
Watchmen: My Chemical Romance Covers Dylan's Desolation Row
Gerard Way Interview at the Watchmen Premiere
Gerard Way introducing the Watchmen movie